The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-10
A ROMANTIC STORY.
A Fugitive from Justice Makes a For
tune and Returns Home.

A Fugitive from Justice Makes a For
tune and Returns Home.
A Memphis dispatch says: The last act
of tragedy begun eighteen years ago was
concluded in the circuit court at Bolivar,
Tenn, last night, when Guy Smith was
acquitted of the charge of murder. On
Feb. 2, 1869, at Salisbury, Tenn, little
town on the Memphis and Charleston rail
road, younger brother of Smith became
involved in a difficulty with two men named
Bowden and Read, well-to-do residents of
the vicinity. Young Smith was getting
the worst of the affray, when Guy drew
revolver and rushed to the rescne. Two
pistol shots rang out, and Bowden and Read
fell to the ground, shot through the body.
Then the man who had done the deed, to
save his brother from the indignity of a
thrashing, threw away his smoking pistol,
and boarding train which was moving
out from the depot near by was borne away
to Chattanooga. By that one act he had
forfeited a tlourishing business and the COM
panionship Of wife, children and friends,
and become fugitive. From Chattanooga
he went to St Louis and Kansas City, and
then took refuge in the plains of Montana.
There he lived for several years, and by
hard work and taking his own part
whenever necessary, became a partner in
prosperous cattle business.
All this time he went by the name of Rob
ert Brown. He dared not write home and
his family and friends were left in doubt as
to whether hewas alive or dead. He could
not rest content even with a fortune in view
and finally turned the ranch over to his
partner and wandered away TO the City of
Mexico There he was recognized by sew
eral of his old comrades in FORESTS Cavalry
in which command he had risen by gal
Lon, q IL e
lionel. They kept his secret, and he em-
barked in business there. Fortune favored
him once more, and everything he touched
turned to gold. He remained in the City of
Mexico six or eight years, and then, over
come by longing to see his wife and chill
dren, at all hazards, he started home. For
some reason he did not carry out this de-
sign, but stopped on the way at farm he
owned near Newport, Ark.
There he lived until a few weeks ago,
when the welcome news came that the two
men he had shot were not dead. They had
recovered, after long struggle against the
effects of their terrible wounds, and then
left the country. At the time of the shoot
ing the grand jury was in session. 1t was
reported to that body that Bowden and
Read had died of their wounds, and an in
dictment was at once found against Smith,
charging him with murder in the first de-
gree Through some oversight this indict-
ment was left standing as originally drawn.
This fact was reported TO Smith, but
it weighed nothing against his yearn-
ing to see his family and clear his
name. So, as soon as possible after hearing
the news, he returned to his old home. He
found the little children he had left eighteen
years before now grown to manhood and
womanhood, and the handsome young wife
grave and middle-aged matron. His ar
rival was reported to the authorities, and
in due time the trial came off at Bolivar,
the county seat of Hardeman county,
wherein Salisbury, also, is situated. 1t re-
suited in the acquittal of the accused, as al
ready stated Col Smith is now wealthy
man. He has had enough of wandering
and intends to devote the remainder of his
life to the domestic duties and pleasures
from which he was so long debarred.